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Part 1: Wedding Suppliers Ratings

When Mr. P and I started planning for our wedding, we had one major prayer- that God provides all we need. Our budget was conservative for a Tagaytay wedding. We were willing to let go of a few things just to push through with a destination wedding.

Our prayer was granted but in a different way than we expected. He did not gave us additional finances. Instead, He led us to the right wedding suppliers. People might think I’m overly spiritualizing things. But really, when we think about the hundred possible suppliers that we could have gotten, I believe we decided on the right ones. Considering everything else, I can perfectly say that we chose the right people to help us with our big day.

All of our suppliers replies promptly through email. They were all considerate with the several changes that we made through the planning. They’re more or less within our allotted budget.

But even though I’m highly satisfied with my suppliers, I would still point out possible points of improvement.

1.Caterer and Stylist: L&J Catering

Rating: 5+

Best Points:

The owners, Sir Willie and Maam Liezel, are truly dedicated in providing excellent service. They gave us free upgrades and other freebies to ensure our guests’ satisfaction. Sir Willie was not only concerned about the menu and the styling, he was also hands-on with our reception program. He gave us very helpful suggestions and helped us find last-minute suppliers. I also have to commend them for patiently redesigning the venue due to the heavy rains.

The food was superb based on the our guests’ feedback. Servings are of generous proportion. There were no complaints regarding the food servers. The left-overs were given to us.

As for the styling, they went beyond our expectations. We had smoke machines even though we did not request them. The place was adorned with the right touch of autumn, our wedding’s theme.

Point for Improvement:

I only have good words for L&J when it comes to their catering. The only thing I would have changed is renting their projector. The images on the screen were clear but they were not straight. They should have positioned the projector in a better angle.

2. Photo and Video: 24 Frames Manila

Rating: 4.5

Best Points:

We love our SDE! The photo and video team did not only focus on Mr. P and I. They also captured great moments with our guests. I could say that our SDE captured the emotions of our day. The shots were natural and only very few staged shots which we specifically requested.

We also love our Pre-Nup photos! Mr. Rodje was the one who took our pictures and edited them. We had our prenup shoot at La Mesa Eco Park but the way he shot the pictures, you would have think we were in a different place.

All the people we worked with were helpful during the shoot. They helped us find the best poses and angles. They also considered our request not to have too many beauty shots and staged shots.

I also have to commend how quickly they delivered our raw pictures. Within 3 days, they already sent us a DVD copy.

Points for Improvement:

The photographers already have the technical skills. But I think, they should develop their own style that will set them apart in the market. They’re too set on their template that limits them in experimenting with possible angles.

3. Venue: Taalena Restaurant

Rating: 4

Best Points:

The view of Taal in their garden is lovely. It’s a pity it rained on our wedding. The good thing about Taalena is their lower dining hall. It provided us a sanctuary from the rain. The woodsy interior of the place is perfect for our autumn-themed wedding. The hall is also large enough to hold 100 guests with enough space for some controlled dancing.

A tip: If you’re planning to rent this place, avail it through L&J to get it a cheaper price. If you can afford a better venue, go for it.

Points for Improvement:

Their garden needs more plants. If not for the view of Taal, it would be just plain green grass. Better lighting in the lower hall would also make the place look more cheerful. The parking area and the road leading to the restaurant need face lift. Also, the sign of Taalena along the road looks old.

4. On-the-day Coordinator: Ms. Irene and her team of ZRM Events

Rating: Almost 5

Best Points:

Even though we only hired them as our OTD, Ms. Irene regularly communicated with us throughout the wedding planning.The coordinators were all friendly. They followed my requests. The ceremony and the reception program went smoothly because of them. I was relieved of stress because of them.

Points for Improvement:

Ms. Irene and her team are truly kind and I believe they did their best to assist us. However, they arrived late for our call time on the wedding day itself. All the other service providers were already in the preps venue except for them. I specifically told Ms. Irene that I needed help with the suppliers because I don’t know what to do with them. But she was late for an hour so I was the one who dealt with the suppliers.

Also, I think her team can dress more professionally. They’re decent but not as professional-looking as other OTD’s I know.

5. Hair and Make-Up Artist: Val Villarin

Rating: Almost 4

Best Point:

He’s friendly and he has the technical skills. He has a wide variety of make-up. He’s open to suggestions. He was on time for our wedding.

Points for Improvement:

He seemed to have a template for his brides’ make-up without considering their facial personality. I asked him to redo my hair and make-up because I looked like a drag queen. He also left just before the ceremony started. Although I did not request for a second look (even though it was in our contract) I was supposed to have a retouch before the reception.

I’ll end with these major suppliers for now. I’ll continue with the next batch next time. My wish is that other brides will find this helpful and will help them decide on the suppliers just right for them.

We changed our P/V, 5 months before the wedding. Primary reason is we like how 24 Frames do their SDE’s compared with God’s Grace. It’s more candid and natural.
Also, 24 Frames replied quickly and prepared the contract far quicker than God’s Grace. I quite regret not getting Raissa’s photog team. But I like how our wedding video was edited by 24 Frames.